Speaking at the launch of the video game Plants vs. Zombies, Garden Warfare, Ruddy said: “Staying up in the Premier League is more important than the World Cup, any day of the week.

“It’s my bread and butter. – it provides me and my family with a livelihood.

“The World Cup is a fantastic opportunity but this is my career; week in, week out. My target is to stay in the Premier League, first and foremost.

“I don’t mean to be dismissive of it or arrogant, but England is not within my thinking. When we get safe, it’ll be in the forefront of my thoughts but now staying in the Premier League with Norwich is my only aim.”

Ruddy reckons Ben Foster, who played for Hodgson at West Brom, is a dead cert for Brazil after reversing his international retirement.

So the 27-year-old Norwich man is hoping he can benefit from the fact Forster is playing north of the border, where he has just broken the Scottish clean-sheets record after 12 straight shut-outs.

Ruddy said: “It’s pretty clear Joe Hart is No.1 and it’s well-deserved. He’s had his troubles but I think he’s shown what a fantastic ­character and goalkeeper he is to bounce back.

“I think it’s also clear Ben [Foster] will go. He doesn’t come out of ­retirement for no reason. Then it’s one place left, between me and Fraser – hopefully playing in the Premier League will give me an edge... it probably should.”

With top-flight status in mind, Ruddy says Hughton would be out of a job by now if Norwich’s players did not have such respect and affection for the boss. The 6ft 4in keeper said: “We don’t want to be a squad responsible for costing people their jobs.

“If there wasn’t a great liking for him, to be quite blunt, I don’t think he’d still be here. If the players didn’t like him, there wouldn’t be that effort.

“In recent weeks when we know the pressure is on, the performance level has lifted tenfold and that is what we have got to maintain to keep us in the Premier League – and make sure he remains our manager.”